Bryan Singer has just closed his deal to return to the director's chair for the X-Men franchise to direct X-Men: Days of Future Past, the next installment of 20th Century Fox's superhero series. The ink is still drying on the deal, we’ve learned. Matthew Vaughn was to direct the sequel to the hit spinoff X-Men: First Class, but we told you last week he was stepping back; word is he is near a deal to produce this one instead along with writer Simon Kinberg and Lauren Shuler Donner.

Singer launched the X-Men feature franchise with the first two superb films and has been a guiding influence in this spinoff by writing the treatment and producing. Fox already has the script for X-Men: Days Of Future Past, and set to return is Fox's First Class cast that includes Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence. The studio hopes to make the July 18, 2014 release date it set for the sequel.

Singer's next film is Jack The Giant Killer for New Line. He is repped by WME.

Bleeding Cool understands that “a meaningful number” of the original X-Men cast are set to make appearances in this sequel, alongside the First Class players. I’m sure they’re all pretty relieved it’s not The Last Stand‘s Brett Ratner who’s coming back.